Arrangement for the composition of characters



Fe b.- 7, 1939. I M. v. MORRISSEY 3 ARRANGEMENT FOR THE COMPOSI TIO N OPF CHARACTERS Filed May 25, 1935- y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H Finis I V r mvEmoR v Kjlk'rnlss'g'q ATTORN Y5 I Feb. 7, 1939. I r I M. y. IMORRISSEY I 2,145,946

ARRANGEMENT FORTHE COMPOSITION OF CHARACTERS Fil ed May 23, 1935 I 2 Shuts- Sheet 2 mi/ a 1, m z

INVENTOR Michael VMrrssey BY v m, M $2444 ATTORNEYS invented Feb. 7, 1939 ARRANGEMENT FOR. THE COMPOSITION OF CHARACTERS 7 Michael V. Morrissey, Bayside, N. Y. e Application May 23, 1935 Serial No. 23,045

5 Claims.

' 'My invention relates to arrangements for composing or forming one or more selected. numerals,

or letters of the alphabet, these being hereinafter flinthe appended claims referred to generically as characters and said characters being adapted ror' visible display or being otherwise utilizable as: hereinafter'described, such arrangements involving the use of a plurality of members which are grouped in a predetermined manner whereby I or characters.

the respective representations thereon are matched tothereby form the desired character 4 My invention has further reference to informamtion-imparting arrangements, signs, groups of characters or the like which may be composed or assembled from representation-bearing members in th'e generalmanner described above.

' Various other objects, advantages and characteristics of my invention will become apparent .gfromthe following desoription.

' My invention resides in the representationbearing members, arrangements, signs, combinations and features of the character hereinafter 1 invention;

Fig, 2 is a compositefview illustrating certain numerals as formedfrom associated representation-bearing members in accordance with my invention; V I

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a sign ar- I ngement as constructed, in accordance with my iFig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of, the sign arrangement shown in Fig. 3; V

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a supporting clip ifor a representation bearing mem- -ber;

1 bearing members associated to form the word ART;

I Fig. 8 is a composite view showing the representation-bearing members of Fig; 7 inseparated re-..

llationy r I Fig. 9 is afront elevational view of a character having an illuminating arrangement associated therewith; and

v I Fig. is a side elevational view of the character shown in Fig. 9. e 1 7 A merchant, such as one dispensing gasolineat retail, requires a readily changeable sign arrangemer t tor informing the public concerning the price of the principal product which he sells, 1. e., gasoline. Obviously, such an arrangement may comprise a group of individual signs each bearing a different price designation. An arrangement of this character because formed from a large number of signs is expensive, somewhat bulky, diificult tohandle, costly to ship and otherwise objectionable in various respects.

In accordancewith'my invention, I avoid the above noted objections by providing the merchant, in a preferred form of the invention, with an arrangement enabling him to readily form for display any number from 1, 2, 20, 21, such arrangement comprising a relatively small number of strip-like members and. each member being but the size of any numeral exclusive of the numeral 1.

Thus, Fig. 1, is an illustration of what may be considered sixteen strip-like plates each having a representation thereon as indicated. These representations are utilizable, in the manner hereinafter described,to form the numbers 1, 2, 8, 9, 0, 10,11, 19, 20, 21. In accordance with a preferred form of the invention, the numeral 1 is representated on a single plate, for example, either. of the plates a or 'al while each of the remaining numerals, i. e., 2, 3, 8, 9, 0 are representedby a suitable combination of three of the sixteen plates, b, c, n, o. e as clearly appears from a detailed consideration of the drawings, the various numbers above noted are formed or composed when the various plates are grouped from left to right in the following manner:

1 a (or al) 2 ihc 3 ehm, 4 gfa (oral) 5 ihd 6 ohd 'l ljb 8 khm 9 d (inverted) hn 0 oen 10 a (or al) --oen 11 a (or al) a1 (or a) 12 a (or al) ihc 13 a (or al)ehm l4 p a (or al)gfal (or a) 15 a (or al)-ihd 16 a (or al)-ohd '17 a (or al)ljb 18 a (or al) khm 19 a (or al)d (inverted) hn 20 ihc oen 21 ihc a (or al) p A s' clearly appears from a consideration of Fig. .2, the accuracyof the foregoing table is exempli- "ified by an inspection of the numerals 5, 2,

3 8, 9, may each be formed from three as-' sociated plates while providing two single-plate representations. of the numeral 1. In view of the limited number of plates which are thus provided, it necessarily follows that some of said plates serve in the formation of more than one numeral;

In accordance with this important phase of the invention, it will be observed that the plates a and al individually serve to form the numeral 1 and also the right hand plate of the numeral 4; the plate (1 forms the right hand plate of each of the numerals 5 and 6 and, when inverted or turned end for end, the left hand plate of the numeral 9; the plate e forms the left hand plate of the numeral 3 and the middle plate of the numeral 0; the plate h serves as the middle plate of each of the numerals 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9; the plate 1 serves as the left hand plate of the numeral 5 and, when inverted, the left hand plate of the numeral 2; the plate In serves as the right hand plate of the respective numerals 3 and 8; the plate n serves as the right hand plate of the respective numerals 0 and 9; and the plate 0 serves as the respective left hand plates of the numerals 0 and 6.

As hereinbefore stated, there may be provided sixteen of the strip-like plates a, b, 0, etc. If so, one face of each plate bears a representation While the opposite face of each plate is blank. Although an arrangement of this character is susceptible of operation which is entirely satisfactory, it is to be understood that such an arrangement is not preferred by me at the present time. In lieu thereof, I preferto simplify the arrangement by having each face of each plate bear a representation. Thus, preferably, I provide but eight plates instead of sixteen. For example, as indicated in Fig. 1, a single plate, on its opposite faces, may bear the respective representations shown at a and b; another plate, on its opposite faces bears the respective representations shown at c and d; in the same manner, the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth plates, on their respective opposite faces, exhibit the representations shown, respectively, at e and f, g and h, i and j, k and l, m and n, o and al.

With an arrangement of the character last described, it will be understood that the letters a, b, 0, etc. may be applied to the respective plate faces in the proper manner as indicated in Fig. 1. If this is done, the numbers may be formed by employing the code hereinbefore set forth in detail. Alternatively, as shown on the drawings, each face of each plate may have two setsof numbers marked thereon, these numbers forming a key concerning the use of said plate. Thus, as regards the plate e, it is to be notedthat there are two sets of numbers thereon, i. e., -3L 0M and 4. The numbers 3L and OMfindicate that the face of the plate e which is visible forms either the left side of the numeral 3 or the center of the numeral 0; The number 4 indicates that the rear face of the plate e (as shown by the plate f) constitutes a part of the numeral 4by reference to said rear face of the plate e, it is shown that the representation is the center 'of the numeral 4. In view of the description thus given, the use of the key numbers on the other plates will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

It will be understood that the key characters, no matter of what type, should be of small dimensions if applied to visible portions of the plates. Alternatively, these key numbers may be applied to non-visible plate portions. If desired, keys of other suitable type may be employed. Still further, it will be understood, when the invention is utilized by children as a puzzle, for example, that all keys may be omitted in which case the person assembling the platesyby observation, becomes familiar with the significance of the various representations.

'In View of the foregoing description, itwill be understood by those skilled in the'art that my invention contemplates the plural use of individual plate-like members, or equivalent, for composing or forming two or more difierent numerals. However, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be thus limited because, if desired, the letters of the alphabet may be formed by following the principles of the invention as hereinbefore set forth.

Thus, Fig. 6 is illustrative of a number of plate-like members dimensionally corresponding with those shown in Fig. 1, the plate-like'members of Fig. 6 being designated as b1, b2 b25, 1026. As will be noted, there are a total of fortytwo plate-like members shown in Figs. land 6, By properly associating groups of three or four of these plate-like members, any letter of the alphabet from A to Z may be formed.

In accordance with this phase of the invention, to form the letter A, the plate-like member 10 (inverted) of Fig. 1 is placed at the left, the plate-like member b16 of Fig. 6 is placed at the center, and the plate-like member b9 (inverted) of Fig. 6 is placed at the right. In this manner, the letter A is formed as is clearly shown by Fig. 7. v 7 p More particularly, all of the letters of'the alphabet are formed in accordance with the fol- K lowing table:

7. In'Figsfl, I have illustratedthe word ART as it appearswhen formed from the plate-like members b (inverted), b16, b9 (inverted)a, b1,

m1, a, b26.

--1n Fig. 8, the various plate-like members of the word ART are shown as spaced apart. From T serveas' the numeral 1, as the left of the let ters B, D, F, H, K, L, as the right of the letter H, etc. The member b1 serves as the .middle of the letters F, P and R. The member m 'serves as the right of the letters B and R; as the right of the numeral 8; and as the right of the numeral 3. The members 1 and b26 (duplicates) serve as the left of thenumeral '7; as the right of the letter F; as the left and right of the letter T; when inverted; as the middle of. the

- letterU; etc.

' As'regards the form of my invention last described, it has been shownthat a set of platelikemembers designed to produce the numerals 1, 2, 9, are also utilizable as regardsthe' formation of some of the letters of the alphabet, or parts of such letters. Vice versa, a set of plate-like members designed to produce the letters of the alphabet may also be used to produce some of the aforesaidnumerals, or parts thereof.

While my invention has distinct advantages in 7 connection with the production of both numerals and letters, it shall be distinctly understood that I contemplatepracticing the invention in con- 40" 1 1, I have referred to the fact that both sides of nection with numerals alone or letters alone and particularly-the former as hereinbefore described.

In connection with the formation of numerals as hereinbefore discussed in connection with Fig.

the, plate-like members may have numeral representations thereon, or that one side of each member may be blank with a representation appearing on the otherside thereof. 'With respect to the formation of letters of the alphabet as f described above, it has'been assumed that each of theplate-like members of Figs. 1 and 6 is blank onone face thereof so that av single representation only appears on each member. It shall be understood, however, that my invention is not to. be thus limited because the arrangement may be such, when utilized for formation of letters of the alphabet, that both sides of each plate-like member has a representation thereon.

erable, that the representation-bearing members be of strip-like and sheet-like configuration as shown. However, the invention in some of its broader phases, is not to be thus limited. These representation-bearing members, in accordance with the invention, may be formed of any suitable materiaL as Wood, composition material, rubber, paper, cardboard, metal, etc. etc. Like- In accordance with 'present 'prebers'are formed from thin sheet metal and are painted a suitable base color, the representations "r being formed thereon with'paint of a suitable contrasting color. I

Y With' respect to those forms of the invention wherein-representations appear on both sides: of

each plate-like member, it will be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement indicated in Fig. 1. That arrangement has been carefully designed so that a minimum number of duplicate plate-like members is necessary if the number system is to be extended so that numbers between 1 and 99 may be formed. However, the invention is not to be limnot be onthe rear of the plate-like member, the

front face of which forms the left hand side of that particular numeral.

A present preferred application of the invention relates to the display of gasoline prices at service stations. This phase of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Thus, as shown, the sign arrangement may comprise a sheet member I having the word PRICE printed thereon, this member I terminating in a lower angular section Ia. Associated with the member I is a sheet member 2 having an upper angular section 2m and a lower angular section 2b. Associated with the member 2 is a member 3 having an upper angular section-"1a. The members I and 2 may be secured together along a seam as indicated at 4, Fig. 4, and the members 2 and 3 may be simiresiliently engage blank spaces formed at the upp r, and lower ends of the representation-bearing members. It will be understood that one or more groups of the members last named may be secured together by the upper and lower clips I0 whereupon the assembly may be disposed either in the channels 6, 8 or the channels 1, 9 of Fig. 4, the channel arrangement being such that the above noted assembly may first be moved upwardly so as to clear the lower channel arrangement, then moved toward the member 2, and then permitted to descend into the position shown in said Fig. 4.

By reference to Fig. 3, the member I5 is shown as associated with the sign arrangement. Preferably, on the outer surface of the member 2, the number 10 is permanently printed in approximately half-size characters as indicated at I I. Then, by providing a series of detachable numerals of corresponding size from 1, 2, 8, 9, as indicated at I2, the operator of the gasoline station is able to display the price of gasoline to the last tenth of a cent.

It will be understood that the sign arrangement of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 is illustrative of but one of the equivalent arrangements which may be utilized. It will also be understood that numeral or letter displaying features of my invention may be employed in numerous ways other than as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. This, for example, the numerals or letters of my invention may be large and used for advertising purposes; they may be small and used as toys or games; they may serve as type for printing purposes; the representation parts may be cut out or apertured so that the base members serve as stencils or molds; said last members may be supported so that a light beam passes through the apertures for display purposes at night, etc.

Particularly as regards formation of letters in accordance with my invention, it will be understood that a large supply of individual members may be stored at a central point and distributed for use as desired in the surrounding territory.

As illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, each representation-bearing member, whether numeral or letter,may have a neon tube l3, or equivalent, associated therewith, these tubes preferably having their ends extend through their associated supporting members so that they may be connected in suitable circuit relation. As clearly appears from Fig. 9, these separate tubes, when energized, function in an effective manner to display the intended character during a period of darkness.

While the invention has been described with respect to certain particular preferred examples which give satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Character displaying means comprising a plurality of members adapted to be associated in side-by-side relation with respect to each other to form a group displaying one character, one of said members being adapted. to be associated in side-by-side relation with respect to other members to thereby form a group displaying another character, said one member occupying one position in the first group and a different relative position in the second group.

2. Character displaying means comprising a plurality of members adapted to be associated in side-by-side relation with respect to each other to form a group displaying one character, one of said members being adapted to be associated in side-by-side relation with respect to other members to thereby form a group displaying another character, said one member occupying one position in the first group and being turned end for end in the second group.

3. Character displaying means comprising a plurality of sheet-like members adapted to be associated in side-by-side relation with respect to each other to form a group displaying one character, opposite faces, respectively, of each of a plurality of said sheet-like members exhibiting representations, each representation forming a part of a character.

4. Character displaying means comprising a plurality of sheet-like members adapted to be associated in side-by-side relation with respect to each other to form a group displaying one character, opposite faces, respectively, of each of a plurality of said sheet-like members exhibiting representations, each representation forming a part of a character, some of the representations being common to a plurality of characters.

5. Character displaying means comprising a plurality of members adapted to be associated in side-by-side relation with respect to each other to form a group displaying one character, the member forming the center of said group being the common center of a plurality of groups of members each group of which forms a different character.

MICHAEL V. MORRISSEY. 

